Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Hisashi Ishiguro

Hiroshi Mori

Moriyuki Koike

Yasuhiro Hattori

Norio Michiie

Hiroyasu Sumida

Hiroomi Motohashi

Toshiya Tagawa

Takahiko Uno

Kouichi Kanaya

Tsuyoshi Endoh

Tomofumi Harada

Tsuyoshi Endo

Tomohumi Harada

A digital copying machine is connected to at least another one of digital copying machines with which data communications can be performed. The digital copying machine has a link copy function that a document is set in the machine itself or another digital copying machine and at least two units of the digital copying machines share the job of executing copy operation on the document, and a printer function of printing according to a print request from the outside. When receiving the print request from the outside during the copy operation based on the link copy function from its start to finish, the digital copying machine puts the print request on hold.

Digital copying machine, image formation system, and digital copying machine as slave machine

Digital copying machine image formation system, and digital copying machine as slave machine

An image processing apparatus including an input device for inputting image data, a storage device for storing image data from the input device, and a controlling device. The controlling device controls the parallel operations of a) writing image data into the storage device, and 2) reading image data from the storage device. Therefore, fast output is possible. Moreover, in a book copying mode, when copying two facing-pages with a scanner, copies of the first of two facing-pages are printed while the second of the two facing pages is scanned. As a result, this apparatus and the corresponding method enable a document to be changed easily and prevent extended holding times by an operator when using book copy mode.

Image forming apparatus which forms an image based on stored image data

An image forming apparatus for detecting and eliminating avoidable image reading operations includes a scanner for reading an original document, a memory for storing read image data, a printer for forming an image in accordance with the image data read from the memory, a ten-key pad for inputting instructions specifying a total number of sets of copies to be made, various functions to be performed by the apparatus for changing how the copying is performed and a sample set command by which the apparatus enters into a sample set command mode wherein one copy of the original document is output as a sample copy, and a controller for determining whether to use the image previously stored in the memory to output the rest of the total number of sets of copies to be made or performing an operation of reading the original document again depending upon types of functions input via the ten-key pad during the sample set command mode.

Image forming apparatus and method for detecting and eliminating

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Hisashi Ishiguro